“A trade of one's own”: The role of social and cultural capital in the success of women in male‐dominated occupations

Abstract

The skilled trades are highly gender segregated occupations. Unsurprisingly, research about women in this male-dominated sector focuses on the various barriers to inclusion. In contrast, this article identifies factors that have contributed to women's successes. Drawing on in-depth interviews with tradeswomen, we found that the success factors for women in the skilled trades were aligned with social and cultural capital. Findings also indicate that women's success is driven by their individual attributes and resources rather than any forms of systematic support. There is limited evidence of a coordinated approach from industry and government to increase gender equity and inclusion. Success for women is, therefore, most likely to be singularly occurring, unpredictable and difficult to replicate. We use a Bourdieusian approach to understand how capital facilitates women's success and how forms of capital can be translated into measurable and repeatable strategies. We argue that capital offers women an opportunity to circumvent traditional resistance to gender inclusion because it provides cultural legitimacy. Replicating social and cultural capital through industry initiatives that are measurable and repeatable are likely to be the most constructive ways forward. We recommend a coordinated industry approach to improve diversity and inclusion in the sector.

Improving the Recruitment and Retention of Construction Apprentices through Oregon’s Highway Construction Workforce Development Program

“…Scholars have argued for a variety of ways to address gendered and racial inequalities within the trades: more inclusive recruitment strategies (Jenkins et al 2019; Simon and Clarke 2016), additional emphasis on mentoring (Galea et al 2015; Jenkins et al 2019; MacIsaac and Domene 2014; Simon and Clarke 2016; Taylor et al 2015; Wright 2016), and addressing the formal rules of trades organizations to address institutionalized inequalities (Galea et al 2015). Advocates for a diverse construction trades workforce echo these calls and also suggest additional efforts, such as respectful workplace trainings and workforce participation goals (Bridges et al 2019; Haines et al 2020; Hegewisch et al 2014; Hegewisch and O’Farrell 2014, 2015; Moir et al 2011; National Women’s Law Center 2014; Policy Group on Tradeswomen’s Issues 2016). The findings of this study suggest that while retention can be improved by providing supportive services to individual apprentices, larger structural changes are also needed to support a diverse construction workforce.…”

Inequality regimes in male-dominated trades: What role do apprenticeship intermediaries (GTOs) play?

“…Research into the experiences of women in male-dominated trade occupations (Bridges et al, 2019; Galea et al, 2020) has found that women experience inequality regimes prior to entry through poor access to informal networks and information, being excluded from skills-based recruitment activities and other recruitment processes within the industry. Once past the recruitment hurdle, tradeswomen find organisational processes such as inflexible work hours, lack of access to leave and limited career paths that restrict their opportunities for development and growth.…”

“…Since the 1980s in Australia, industry, government and the education sector have sought to increase number of women in male-dominated skilled trade occupations to no avail. A range of organisational practices and processes, including informal recruitment processes, gendered workplace policies and a lack of mentors, role models and female leadership, have been identified as key barriers to women’s employment in the skilled trades (Bridges et al, 2019, 2020; Fielden et al, 2000; Galea et al, 2020; MacIsaac and Domene, 2014; Smith, 2013; Wright, 2013, 2016). Furthermore, individualised mechanisms of exclusion and the concept of ‘borderwork’, which includes the use of gender stereotypes, sexual harassment, masculine culture, discrimination and violence, have also been flagged as significant barriers to women’s ongoing employment (Denissen, 2010a, 2010b; Denissen and Saguy, 2014; Fielden et al, 2000; Smith, 2013; Wagner, 2014; Wright, 2013, 2016).…”

“…A key element in this industry-wide inequality regime, and one of the most significant barriers for women entering the trades is the apprenticeship system (Bridges et al, 2019). As at March 2021, women represent only 5.1% of all automotive and engineering apprentices, 2.2% of construction apprentices and 4.5% of electrotechnology and telecommunications apprentices (The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), 2021).…”

“…The small businesses that employ and train tradespeople are also more susceptible to economic shocks and regional economic downturns (Bamberry, 2017). Furthermore, recruitment processes in regional and rural areas are more reliant on informal processes and social networks from which women are traditionally excluded (Bridges et al, 2019).…”